


An Original Fairytale

by Sabrina Bartlett (SabrinaBartlett)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-27
Updated: 2015-08-16
Packaged: 2018-03-09 06:54:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3240413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SabrinaBartlett/pseuds/Sabrina%20Bartlett
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When his brother tells him of an unusual werewolf that was spotted near the town of Storybrooke, Maine, Klaus decides to investigate. But Storybrooke is not the quiet Maine town that Klaus was expecting. Powers beyond the original hybrid's imagination are at work, and most of the town's citizens - including the werewolf he seeks- are not of this world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Call

Klaus looked around at the boxes and suitcases that lay about his hallway. He had packed everything he could possibly need for his move to New Orleans. All he needed to do was load everything into his car, and he would be on his way.

Before he could lift a finger to do so, however, his cell phone rang in his pocket. Taking it out, he looked at the caller ID. _Elijah Mikaelson._ Klaus rolled his eyes, wondering what his brother could possibly want, and then picked up. “Elijah,” he said.

“Hello, Niklaus,” his brother answered on the other end, sounding cool and collected as always. “I have some information to share. I think you will find it rather interesting.”

Klaus was fairly sure that his idea of interesting was quite different from his brother’s. “I doubt that very much, but go on.”

Elijah ignored his comment in his response. “A contact of mine in Maine said he spotted something rather odd in the woods last night during the full moon. A werewolf.”

Klaus couldn’t help but laugh. “There doesn’t seem to be anything odd about that.”

“Let me finish,” Elijah continued, and his tone was almost chastising. “When he spotted her, he was prepared to fight her off. But the wolf took one glance at him and ran in the other direction. And yet, he said that she seemed more powerful than any werewolf he had ever encountered before. Something about her appeared . . . otherworldly.”

He would never admit it to his brother, but Klaus was intrigued. “Why are you telling me this?”

“I believe,” Elijah continued, “that it would be in your best interest to investigate. If she proves to be as powerful as my contact has stated, she would be a good ally to have. Besides, you cannot discount the possibility of acquiring more Doppelgänger blood, not when we know that the cure exists. As I am sure you realize, a powerful werewolf would make a powerful hybrid.”

His brother was right about that, although Klaus had pretty much given up on the idea of ever creating hybrids again. Still, he couldn’t help but be curious about this mysterious werewolf girl, who, it seemed, travelled without a pack. He wasn’t really in any particular hurry to get to New Orleans. The city would wait.

“Where in Maine was the werewolf spotted?” Klaus asked finally.

“In the woods surrounding a town near the coast,” Elijah said. “A small town called Storybrooke.”


	2. Uncompellable

Klaus pulled his car over at the first business he saw that still seemed to be open. It was a pawn shop, and old knick-knacks could be seen in the windows. He stepped out of the car and onto the sidewalk, and then opened the door to the shop. A little bell rang as he did so, signalling his arrival to the man inside.

The man, who Klaus presumed to be the owner, sat at a counter in the back of the room, tinkering with some sort of brass object. Without looking up from his work, he said, “The shop is closed.” He spoke with a slight Scottish accent.

Klaus raised his eyebrows. He wasn’t used to being spoken to in such a manner. Back in Mystic Falls, everyone feared him, even those mortals who were unaware of what he was. Something about him just commanded respect.

“That’s not what your sign says,” he answered, taking a few more steps toward the counter.

Finally, the owner looked up, and Klaus was able to get a better look at him. He looked to be in his fifties. There were wrinkles around his brown eyes, and streaks of grey in his otherwise brown hair, which fell nearly to his chin. He stared down his long nose at Klaus, and he did not look amused. In fact, it looked like he was trying to be intimidating. The idea made Klaus want to laugh.

“Are you sure about that?” the owner asked, and his gaze shifted to the door behind him. Klaus turned around to look as well, and, sure enough, the _OPEN_ side of the sign was now facing him, inside the store.

Klaus tried very hard not to show how flustered he was. The sign had definitely said _OPEN_ when he’d walked in. He was sure of it. But that’s not what he was seeing now. So, he simply turned back to the man at the counter and said, “My mistake.” He smiled charismatically, the same smile that, in the past, had been able to get him things without the use of compulsion. “I didn’t mean to intrude. Allow me to introduce myself: My name is Klaus Mikaelson. I was hoping you could tell me where in this town I might find a place to stay.”

The man stood up, eyeing Klaus. “Where did you come from?” He was glaring at him, suspicious. “We don’t get many _tourists_ here.”

Klaus wasn’t going to answer his question. He looked the man in the eyes, and said, “You are going to tell me where I can find a room, and then you are going to forget ever meeting me.” He was compelling him. The man had left him no choice.

“You’ll find a room at Granny’s, up the road,” he answered, pointing vaguely.

Klaus smirked. “Now, was that so difficult?” He turned on his heel and stalked back to the front of the store. The bell chimed again when he opened the front door, but before he stepped outside, the shop owner called to him.

“But don’t expect me to forget you, dearie,” he said. “I never forget a name.”


	3. Granny's

Klaus stepped out of the pawnshop and onto the sidewalk, mystified. He hadn’t been able to compel the shop owner. In his experience, that could only mean one thing, in this case: vervain. It was always a possibility, of course, but he had not expected it in a town of this size, this sheltered from the outside world. It wasn’t the usual choice for a vampire who preferred to go unnoticed.

He opened the door to his car and slid into the seat, thinking. He had come here looking for a werewolf. He hadn’t expected to have to contend with vampires, as well.

It was a minor inconvenience, but nothing he couldn’t handle. He was an original hybrid, after all. For all intents and purposes, he was _invincible_.

He made his way slowly up Main Street, taking in the various businesses on either side. At last, he came across Granny’s Bed and Breakfast, which was right next to Granny’s Diner. He grinned. It was the first restaurant he had come across, and if his time spent in the Mystic Grill was any indication, the establishment would hopefully turn out to be a viable source of information on the goings on of the town.

He pulled up at the curb and stepped out of the car once again, stalking up to the front door. It was fairly crowded, with people seated in booths, at tables, and up at the bar. A tall young woman with long, brown hair streaked with red served a small boy a steaming mug.

“Hot chocolate with cinnamon,” she said, leaning across the bar to grin at him. “Just the way you like it.”

“Thanks, Ruby,” the boy said, grinning as he lifted the mug to his mouth.

Standing up again, the waitress noticed Klaus. She looked him up and down, hands on her hips. “Hello,” she said, almost as a question. “How can I help you?”

The boy had turned around to look at him, too, and was overtly staring at him, quizzical. It struck Klaus as terribly rude; he wondered momentarily what his mother would think if she saw him behaving that way.

“Hello,” Klaus said, turning his attention from the boy and focusing instead on the waitress—Ruby, the boy had called her. “I’d like to rent a room, at the bed and breakfast.”

She blinked at him. “Why?”

He laughed a little. “Well, I need a place to stay while I’m in town, love,” he replied, stepping closer to the counter to rest his hands on it. “That is what bed and breakfasts are typically used for.”

She shook her head, seemingly collecting herself. “Right, sorry. We don’t really get many visitors here.”

This wasn’t the least bit surprising to Klaus, after his experiences with this town thus far. “Well, I can see why. You aren’t exactly welcoming to them when they do come, are you?”

Ruby didn’t even smile at all. “Sorry,” she said again. Her hands flexed a few times. “I’ll go get Granny. Just wait here.” She turned around and walked away through a door at the back of the restaurant.

Klaus took a seat at the bar, right next to the curious boy who was still staring at him. He just stared right back. He noticed for the first time a thick, leather-bound book on the counter next to him.

“What are you reading?” Klaus asked, turning his head to read the title.

“Nothing,” the boy said quickly, scrambling to pull the book on to his lap.

But Klaus had already seen the title: _Once Upon a Time_. “Fairy tales,” he said, nodding. “Aren’t you a little old for stories like that?”

“Who are you?” the boy asked instead of responding. “And what are you doing here?”

“Honestly, this whole town needs to work on their tourism industry. And their manners.” He stared disapprovingly at the boy. “I’m Klaus Mikaelson,” he answered anyway. “I’m just passing through. And you are?”

Before the boy could answer, Ruby came back through the door, followed by a stocky older woman.

“This is Granny,” Ruby said, by way of introduction. “Granny, this is . . . sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

“It’s Klaus,” the boy said, getting out of his chair and putting his scarf and coat on. He snatched his book and held it close to his chest. “Klaus Mikaelson.” He gave Klaus a long, hard stare before walking past him and out of the shop.

“Nice to meet you, Granny,” Klaus said, holding out his hand and flashing her a charismatic smile.

The older woman just narrowed her eyes at him though. “Let’s go next door and I’ll get you a room,” she said, shoving past Klaus and walking ahead of him outside.

Klaus dropped his outstretched hand and looked back at Ruby, who seemed to be trying hard to suppress a laugh. “Ruby,” he said, and she glanced up at him. “Thanks for the help. I’m sure I’ll see you around.”

“It’s a small town,” Ruby answered, shrugging one shoulder. “I’m sure you will.”


	4. Operation Tarantula

“Everyone calm down!” Ruby shouted, cutting through the roar of distressed conversation in the diner. The patrons turned to look at her, concern clear on all their faces.

“Calm down?” Leroy asked, baffled. “This town is full of magic, and an outsider has driven into the middle of it. Sorry if I’m a little worried about that.”

“He doesn’t have to know that this is anything other than a quiet, coastal town,” Ruby said calmly. “All we need to do is act normal. I think we can handle that.”

“ _We_ can, maybe,” Leroy said. “But we aren’t the ones with an addiction to magic.”

“That’s unfair,” Archie spoke up. “Regina has been making tremendous strides in the past weeks to control her use of magic.”

“Besides,” Ruby added, “Henry just left. I’m sure he’ll let her know about the situation.”

“I wasn’t talking about Regina,” Leroy said pointedly.

Ruby heard a loud sigh from the other side of the room, and knew before she turned her head who had emitted it. Belle pushed her ice tea glass across the table and put down the book she had been reading, standing up. “I’ll talk to him,” she said, sounding a little frustrated.

“Thanks, Belle,” Ruby said, smiling. She hadn’t known her for that long, but they had become pretty close friends in that short time. She couldn’t even try to understand her relationship with Gold, but it seemed that she really loved him. And it was nice having someone around who could get through to him.

“Gold’s shop is one of the first businesses you’d pass on your way into town,” Leroy went on. “What if this Klaus guy has already met him? What if Gold already showed him magic?”

Belle sighed again as she gathered up her things. “Rumple may be a bit . . . dependent on magic, but he’s no fool. He wouldn’t do anything to put the town at risk.”

Leroy looked sheepish, but he stood his ground. “You know I like you, Belle, and I trust you. But what makes you so sure? He has a pretty lengthy track record against him.”

“You can’t tell what’s in a person’s heart until you truly know them, Grumpy,” she said, and then she smiled. “And I think I know him pretty well.”

 

###

 

Emma jumped in her seat at the sound of the door flying open against the wall. She looked up from her newspaper to see Henry running through the doorway, cheeks red from the cold and the exertion.

“Outsider,” he gasped, trying to catch his breath. “In town. Just drove in.”

Emma could barely make him out, he was talking so fast. “Whoa, slow down there, kid,” she said. “What’s up?”

Henry took a seat next to her at the counter, putting his book down and taking a few deep breaths. Then he said, almost just as quickly, “A stranger just drove into town from outside, and he’s staying at Granny’s. I ran all the way here.”

“I can tell,” Emma said, laughing slightly at the sight of her son. Still, what he’d just told her was alarming. “Someone drove into Storybrooke? How is that possible?” It had never happened before, not in all the time she had been there.

Henry shrugged. “Maybe when the curse broke, whatever was keeping people from coming here went away.”

Emma finished the last sip of her coffee and stood up, grabbing the keys to her car as she did so. “I’ve got to get down to the Granny’s,” she said. She felt her pocket to make sure she had her cell; she would have to call David and Mary Margaret on the way. She went over to Henry and bent down slightly, placing her hands on his shoulders. “You need to go tell Regina. But make sure she doesn’t do anything…impulsive. I’ll drop you off.”

Emma was at the door when Henry called out. “Wait.”

She turned around. “What is it?”

The left side of his mouth quirked up in a grin. “Don’t forget your walkie-talkie.” He walked over to the shelf behind him and took it, handing it to her. She looked down at the device, and then at her son, confused.

“Operation: Tarantula,” he said, his grin growing.

Despite the fact that Emma was worried about having a stranger in town, she couldn’t help but smile back at Henry, his enthusiasm contagious.

“Come on, kid,” she said, gesturing with her arm. She placed it around his shoulders when he reached her, and together they left the apartment.

 

###

 

The bell chimed, and Mr. Gold looked up to see Belle walking through the door, book in hand. He came out from behind the counter to greet her with a hug.

“How was your morning?” he asked her, wanting to hear about her before divulging his news about the outsider.

As it turned out, he needn’t have bothered with that courtesy; she broached the subject before he could. “A man came into the diner. A stranger, from out of town. Everyone was worried that he might have met you, first.”

“A Mr. Mikaelson, I presume?” he asked, although he knew the odds of two strangers arriving in town on the same day were extremely low.

“So you did meet him,” Belle said. She stared down at her hands, but then looked up into his eyes before continuing. “Rumple, you didn’t use…magic, in front of him, did you?”

He wanted her to trust him, more than anything, but he could hear the doubt in her voice. He was used to other people in town being suspicious of him. It hurt that Belle was one of them, too. “Sweetheart, of course not.”

She sighed, relief evident in that one release of breath. “I told everyone you would never be so rash. I’m always right about you.” She smiled and reached for his hand, squeezing it slightly.

Gold squeezed back, and returned her smile, but then his eyebrows knitted together. “I may not have used magic on him,” he said, “but I think that he may have tried to use some on me.”

“What?” Belle asked, stepping back slightly. “But—but how could he? I thought there was no magic in this world, except for the magic you brought to Storybrooke.”

“So did I,” Gold said, moving back to the counter. “But this…this was not like the magic from our world. This was something else.”

“What was it?” Belle asked, following him.

He opened up a cupboard behind the counter and took something out: an large, worn, leather-bound book. He placed it down on the counter with a _thunk_. Placing his hand on top of it, he said, “I was hoping you could help me figure that out.”


	5. A Familiar Emptiness

Klaus was nearly finished unpacking the few belongings he had brought along with him when there was a knock on the door of his room. “Housekeeping,” a voice called from the other side, and even though he hadn’t spoken to her for very long, he recognized it.

He strode over and opened the door, not surprised to see Ruby standing there. “Just bringing you some towels,” she said, holding the folded pile to him.

“Waitress and housekeeper,” he said, taking the towels from her and setting them down on the small desk near the doorway. “Busy girl.”

Ruby shrugged. “It’s just Granny and I running this place and the diner. We sort of have to be multitalented.”

Klaus leaned against the doorframe. “I’m sure you’re privy to all sorts of gossip,” he said, trying to get his investigation started. “Steamy affairs. Risky business. Strange sightings.”

Ruby laughed. “Not really. I’m not sure how long you’re planning on staying, but it won’t take you long to realize that Storybrooke is pretty boring.”

“I doubt that,” Klaus said, disappointed that he had thus far learned nothing. “Every town has its secrets.”

“Well, not this one.” She turned to leave, but glanced back over her shoulder to say, “If you need anything, you know where to find me. Enjoy your stay.”

“I’m sure I will,” Klaus said, shutting the door behind her.

###

“What do you need me to do?” Belle asked, feeling the worn leather cover of the book that Gold had placed on the counter.

“What you do best,” Gold answered, smiling. “Read. This is a book of the folklore, myths, and legends of this world, which, in my research, is the closest thing it has to magic.”

Belle opened the book and began to flip slowly through its pages. She shook her head. “This book is huge. What exactly am I looking for?”

Gold sighed. “Unfortunately, I’m not too sure. The outsider, he told me I was going to forget ever having met him, and he said it with conviction, like he really believed it.”

Belle waited for him to say more, but all he did was give her an apologetic shrug. She lifted the book off of the counter. “I guess I’ll have to read the whole thing, then.”

“Listen, Belle,” Gold said, limping closer to her. He grasped one of her shoulders with the hand that wasn’t gripping his cane. “Until we learn more about this man and his intentions, I’d rather you stay away from him.”

With him staying at Granny’s, that wouldn’t be easy. Belle went there often to satisfy her iced tea cravings and spend time with Ruby. “I can take care of myself, Rumple,” she said.

“I know,” Gold said quietly. “I know. But you shouldn’t have to.”

Belle knew why he wanted so badly to protect her. He couldn’t bear to lose her again as he had in the Enchanted Forest. And even though she didn’t need anyone to take care of her, she had to admit it was nice that she had someone who would, someone for whom she would gladly return the favour.

“I’ll be at your house with this,” she said finally, raising the heavy book slightly. She smiled at him, in a way that she hoped showed she understood his concerns. “I’ll see you tonight.”

###

Regina sat in her office, filing papers she had already filed at least three times today . . . and it was only ten o’clock. It was a Saturday, to boot, but she couldn’t stand to be at home. The house felt far too empty without Henry in it. Her office was empty, too, but that emptiness was familiar. The emptiness of her house was foreign and uncomfortable.

She was surprised, then, when her office door flew open and Henry came striding in. She hadn’t seen much of him since the curse had broken. He didn’t seem to want to see much of her. As much as she hated to admit it, she couldn’t really blame him. She _had_ poisoned him, after all. Nearly killed him.

“Henry,” she said, standing up from her chair. She smoothed down her skirt and stepped out from behind her desk. This was her son, standing before her, and still she felt oddly nervous. “You came to see me?” She meant for it to come out as a declarative statement, but somehow it turned into a question as it left her lips.

“Hi, Mom,” he said, standing a few feet away from her. He smiled slightly.

“Hi,” she said, the word coming out as a laugh and a sob all at once.

He took the few steps needed to close the gap between them and wrapped his arms around her. She hesitated for only a moment before returning his embrace.

“Oh, I missed you,” she said. “I’m so sorry, Henry. For everything.”

He pulled back and looked up at her. “I know,” he said, and even though she didn’t expect him to forgive her, not yet, the words brought her comfort. “I need your help. Well, not just me. The whole town.”

“What’s wrong?” she asked, holding his shoulders. “What happened?”

“Someone drove in,” Henry explained. “A stranger, from out of town.”

Regina was a little surprised, but she felt stupid not to have thought of this possibility before. “Of course,” she said, letting go of his shoulders. “The curse isolated this town from the rest of the world. After Emma broke the curse, the town’s protection broke along with it.”

“What’s going to happen?” Henry asked.

Regina didn’t know. “I’m not sure. Probably nothing. He has no reason to be suspicious.”

“Not yet,” Henry said. “Mom, you can’t use magic in front of him. It could put everyone in danger.”

Ever since the curse broke, Regina had been trying so hard to change, to overcome her addiction to magic. She was doing it _for_ Henry, so it hurt that he still didn’t trust her. “Of course I won’t,” she said. “Now, this outsider. He’s staying at Granny’s, I assume?”

Henry nodded. “Yes. His name is Klaus Mikaelson.”

Regina nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll stop by to see him later today. Now, can I drop you off anywhere? Back home, maybe?” She said it hopefully; she wanted nothing more than for him to be back with her.

“Could you drop me off at the sheriff’s station?” he asked, and her heart dropped. “Emma and I are making this guy our new mission.”

Regina forced a smile. “Sure,” she said. “Let’s go.”

###

“You rang,” David said, holding up his cell phone as he and Mary Margaret entered the sheriff’s station.

Emma was perched on the edge of her desk. She’d called them on her way over and told them to come in.

“Yeah,” she said, sighing as she stood up.

“Well?” Mary Margaret asked. “What’s going on?”

“Well,” Emma answered slowly, “it turns out that when I broke the curse, I also broke whatever it was that was stopping people from driving into town. Some guy from outside of town just drove in less than an hour ago.”

David and Mary Margaret turned to look at each other, and then back at Emma. “That’s . . . not good,” David said finally.

“Yeah,” Emma said, nodding. “That’s what I thought.”

They all stood there in silence for a moment until Mary Margaret said, “Hey, maybe we’re overreacting. He probably won’t be staying too long anyway, right? Surely we can keep him thinking that this is a perfectly normal, boring town for a few days?”

“Sure,” Emma said sarcastically, “as long as he doesn’t pick up on the fact that the mayor is an evil witch, the pawnbroker is dangerous sorcerer, and the waitress at the diner turns into a wolf once a month unless she wears a magic red hood.”

“Those are some pretty good points,” David said.

“Still, it’s not that obvious,” Mary Margaret continued. “Look how long it took you to figure out that something was wrong with this place.”

“That was back when the curse was in place,” Emma said. “From what I could tell, the only thing wrong with this place was that the clock was broken.”

“That’s true,” Mary Margaret conceded.

“Look, most people in this town can pass as normal,” David said. “It’s the people you mentioned who are going to pose challenges to this whole charade. Regina, for instance.”

“Henry went to talk to her,” Emma said. “He should be back soon.”

“What about Gold?” Mary Margaret asked. “Has anyone been to talk to him?”

“I don’t know,” Emma said. “I’ll take care of it.”

“And we’ll go talk to Ruby,” David said, placing his arm around Mary Margaret’s shoulders. “I think we should probably also call a town meeting, just so everyone knows not to talk about suspicious subjects.”

“Good idea,” Emma said. “I’ll set one up for tonight. We’d better get going. Gold could have turned the guy into a rat by now.”


	6. Taking Care of Business

Regina knocked twice on the door. The response came from within almost immediately. “Come in.”

She turned the handle, opened the door, and stepped inside. A young man sat at the desk, bent over a sketchbook with a piece of charcoal in his hand. He couldn’t have been older than thirty, but something about him seemed ancient. She couldn’t figure out why, but it made her feel uncomfortable.

He didn’t look up right away, staring intently at his work. Regina couldn’t quite make it out from where she stood, but it seemed to be a portrait of some sort. She cleared her throat to get his attention. He still hesitated a few seconds before looking up.

“Yes?” he asked.

“Mr. Mikaelson?” she asked, though there was no need to ask. He was the only stranger in town. It had to be him.

“Klaus,” he replied curtly. “And you are?”

“Regina,” she answered. “Regina Mills. I’m the mayor of Storybrooke. I just wanted to welcome you to our town and wish you a pleasant visit.”

He appraised her, looking her up and down. “That’s very thorough of you,” he said. “Do you personally greet all of your tourists?”

Regina could count on one hand the number of strangers to have entered Storybrooke, so she had an easy, honest answer to his question. “Yes,” she said. “I certainly try.”

“Well, then,” he said, “perhaps your tourism industry isn’t in such a sorry state after all.”

Regina didn’t understand what he was talking about. “I’m afraid I don’t follow,” she said.

“Let’s just say I didn’t receive the warmest welcome, not from the people in the diner, or the pawnbroker down the road.”

He’d already seen Gold. That was just _perfect_. “I’m sorry to hear that,” she responded. “But rest assured that Mr. Gold, the pawnbroker, is hardly representative of the hospitality this town has to offer. If you need anything to make your stay more comfortable, please let me know and I will see to it personally.”

“Much appreciated,” Klaus responded, smiling at her, but not in a way that made Regina think he was actually happy. “I’ll be sure to let you know. You can show yourself out.”

Regina couldn’t help but scoff a little at the way he spoke to her. She was a queen! But then she remembered herself. She had to convince him that Storybrooke was a town like any other. And American towns were not ruled by a monarchy.

She didn’t say anything as she stepped out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind her. As far as she was concerned, Klaus couldn’t get out of there soon enough.

###

“Gold,” Emma said over the ring of the shop bell as she stepped inside. “We need to talk.”

“Honestly,” Gold said, not looking up from the item he was currently polishing on the counter. “Can no one in this town read? The sign clearly says that I am _closed_.”

“Don’t care,” Emma said, walking straight up to the counter. She slammed her hands down on it and leaned in closer. Gold was forced to look up from his work and acknowledge her.

“What is it this time?” he asked, sighing.

“A stranger drove into town earlier today. Heard about that?”

“Heard?” Gold asked. “I was informed personally by Mr. Mikaelson himself.”

“Oh, great,” Emma said, pushing herself away from the counter. “That’s great. You at least behaved, you know, _normally_ while he was here, right?”

“Well,” Gold said, “I suppose that depends on what you mean by _normally_. Like you, Mr. Mikaelson rudely ignored the sign on my door and barged in without permission. I threw a few fireballs as a warning. His jacket was singed slightly, but I believe the lad is just fine.”

Emma gaped at him, trying to think of something to say. “Please tell me this is your idea of a joke.”

Gold grinned at her, and Emma could see the resemblance between him and the creature in Henry’s book, the Dark One. “Relax, dearie. He didn’t see any dark magic from me. But have you checked in with Regina? You didn’t know her back in our land, but her reputation with magic is nearly as terrible as mine.”

“Not quite,” Emma said. She had read Henry’s book, of course, and Regina’s actions in the Enchanted Forest had indeed been awful. But Rumplestiltskin—Gold—had been her teacher, and he was ten times worse than his pupil, if not more. “Besides, you’re the one that brought magic to Storybrooke. I think I have every right to put the blame for any magical transgression that may come to pass on you.”

Emma had meant that as a threat, but Gold looked more amused than anything. “I am sorry to hear that,” Gold said, picking up his cane and moving from behind to the counter. “If Mr. Mikaelson becomes troublesome, I would be pleased to put my magic to work and take care of him.”

Emma scoffed. “Yeah, we’re not going to kill the first tourist to this town in…ever.”

“I said _take care of,_ dearie,” he replied. “I never said _kill_.”

Emma narrowed her eyes, trying to work out what the difference might be. She was starting to realize that there was a lot she didn’t know about this man. That was probably true for most of the citizens of Storybrooke. Including her own parents.

“I’ve got to go,” Emma said, backing away from Gold toward the door. “Just don’t do anything stupid.”

She was out the door before he could reply.

 

###

 

“I’m actually not too worried,” Ruby said. She, David, and Mary Margaret sat in a booth at the back of the diner. “This past Wolfstime has been fine. I’ve got the wolf under control, just like back home. As long as I go to the woods to transform, Klaus will never have to know.”

“It’s too risky,” David said, shaking his head. “What if Klaus happens to be in the woods and he sees you change?”

“I’ll go late,” Ruby said. “Midnight. Who would go for a hike in the woods at midnight?”

Mary Margaret smiled sympathetically. “We just think it would be safer if you wore your cape throughout Wolfstime while this stranger is in town.”

Ruby looked back and forth between her friends. “Don’t you trust me?” she asked.

“Of course we do,” David said. “It’s this stranger we don’t trust.”

Ruby sighed. “Fine. But the next full moon isn’t for another month, anyway. I doubt this Klaus guy will still be here by then.”

“Let’s hope not,” David said.

 

###

 

“It’s an incredibly boring town, but I’m stuck here for at least a month, so that I can hopefully find this werewolf during the next full moon.”

Klaus stood by the window, staring down at Main Street as the sun began to set. Tomorrow he would do some exploring, talk to people, try to get some clues as to who this werewolf might be. If he was going to be here for a month, he certainly wasn’t going to spend it stuck in this stuffy room.

“Look, Nick,” Rebekah said over the phone, “I’d love to continue this conversation, but I hate to keep Matt waiting.”

“Ah,” Klaus said. “Still travelling around with your little human boy toy, are you?”

“Goodbye, Nick,” Rebekah said, and she hung up on him.

Klaus could feel the pangs of hunger start to kick in, and he knew he was going to have to feed tomorrow. That meant he was going to have to figure out who was on vervain. He sighed, sitting down on his bed.

This was going to be a long month.


	7. Just Stories

_Rumple told me to stay away from him_ , Belle reminds herself. Sitting at a table in Granny’s, she can see Klaus easily in his booth by peering over her book. There had been a town meeting about him last night, but Belle had elected to stay in at Gold’s house to continue reading the book. She’d stayed up late, feeling only a little guilty about leaving the lamp on her side of the bed turned off while Gold tried to sleep. He had not complained, though. His kindness was welcome, but surprising, given the way their parting in the Enchanted Forest had gone. She could get used to this man, the man she had known was there all along.

Now, however, her focus was on a different man, a man from whom Gold had explicitly told her to _stay away_. Then again, he had also asked her to help him figure out what sort of magic this stranger had been wielding. Belle snuck another glance at him, trying to gain some sort of knowledge about him. He didn’t _look_ magical. He didn’t even look dangerous. He was probably around her age, actually, and incredibly handsome. Belle couldn’t see any harm in introducing herself.

She nodded to herself, confirming her decision. Yes, she would just go over and talk to him. She glanced down at her book to check the page she was on and then slammed the heavy volume shut. She stood up from her table and grabbed the book, clutching it to her chest as she walked over to the booth.

“Excuse me,” she started, and Klaus looked up at her. “Mind if I join you?”

He smiled at her, and slid his copy of _The Mirror_ off of the table. He gestured to the bench opposite him. “Please.”

Belle slid in, placing her book on the far end of the table, against the wall. “It’s Klaus, right?” she asked. “I’m Belle.”

“French for _beautiful_ ,” Klaus commented. “Suits you.”

Belle couldn’t help but blush. He was awfully charming. “That’s very kind of you,” she said, looking down to try and hide her face, to keep him from seeing the colour that had moved to her cheeks.

“What can I do for you, Belle?” he asked, leaning forward on his forearms.

“I just wanted to introduce myself,” she said, “and ask you how you’re finding Storybrooke so far.”

“Well, first the mayor, and now you. You’ve both certainly made up for the not-so-warm welcomes I received when I first arrived yesterday.”

“The mayor?” Belle asked, surprised. She wouldn’t exactly call Regina warm. “Regina. Yes, she’s…nice.” She tried not to choke on the word. “What brings you here, anyway? This town isn’t exactly well-advertised.”

“A friend of mine,” he answered, “was hiking through the woods near here the other day, and told me the scenery is beautiful. Well, I had to see for myself.”

“How long do you think you’ll be here?” Belle asked, trying to be casual.

Klaus shrugged, leaning back against the bench. “I haven’t thought that far ahead. A month, maybe? Perhaps more.”

Belle’s eyes widened. That was a long time, and certainly made her task of discovering if there was anything odd about him worthwhile.

“Well, I do hope the sights live up to your expectations, then,” she said. “You should check out the docks. The views from there are lovely, especially at sunset.”

“I will,” Klaus said. Then his gaze moved toward her book. “That’s quite the volume,” he said, sliding the book toward him. “Interesting, is it?”

Belle nodded, and this wasn’t even a lie. “Oh, yes. I just finished the section on witches. I’m a few pages into the portion on vampires. It’s fascinating. I’d only ever read stories about them. I’m enjoying learning about them from a research standpoint.”

“But stories,” Klaus said, pushing the book away from him, “that’s all they are. Vampires, werewolves, magic. They don’t really exist.”

Belle nodded, even though she knew firsthand that two of those things were very real, at least back in her world. “They certainly seem far-fetched, but the number of people who claim to have had run-ins with them is staggering.”

Klaus rolled his eyes. “A bunch of loons, most likely.” He slid out of the booth. Reaching into his pocket, he took out his wallet and retrieved a few bills, placing them on the table. “Lovely meeting you, Belle. Hopefully I will see you again during my stay.”

He turned around and left the restaurant, and Belle was left trying to sort out what she had learned. Not very much, it seemed, except that he planned to stay here for a month ( _at least!_ ) and that he was here to do some sightseeing, of all things.

She sighed, pulling her book back towards her and opening it to where she left off. _Vampires will burn in the sun, though there are legends of witches who would enchant items, such as necklaces or rings…_

###

 

Gold placed his black leather gloves on his hands with care, double-checking them for holes. _Of course_ there were no holes, but one could never be too careful. He looked down at the box he had removed from the cabinet in the back of his shop, and slowly removed the lid.

He stared down at the object that lay before him. To think this had been in his shop all this time! What would have happened if his cursed self would have opened this, carelessly? A disaster, that’s what.

He reached his hand into the box and removed the medallion. It felt heavy, resting on his palm. Heavy with weight, and heavy with power. He _had_ been planning on using this on Regina, but had thought better of it with Belle’s encouragement.

But a stranger in this town was a dangerous thing. Gold needed a way to get _out_ of here. People coming _in_ , learning about this town and its strange inhabitants, would only get in the way of his progress. Mr. Mikaelson, Belle had informed him earlier, was planning on staying for a month. The oddities of this town would certainly make themselves known within a month. Simply put, he couldn’t be allowed to leave.

He had told Emma he could take care of Mr. Mikaelson. What he had _meant_ was that a wraith could.


	8. An Abundance of Towels

Klaus was hunched over his desk, drawing, when there was a knock on the door. “Fresh towels,” the voice on the other side called. It was Ruby, and it was not a surprise. Klaus rolled his eyes as he stood up to unlock the door. He figured he must have the cleanest towels in the entire bed and breakfast, with the frequency she brought them. He glanced into his closet and sighed. It was only his fifth day in Storybrooke, but he counted at least seven clean towels stacked there.

He unlocked and opened the door wide. Ruby stood there smiling, holding two clean towels in her hands. “Towels,” she said again, nodding toward them.

“I can see that,” he responded. He jerked his head toward the closet. “Put them with the others.”

She stepped past him into the room and made her way to the closet. He shut the door and watched her, feeling a sense of satisfaction when he saw the trouble she was having fitting the new towels on to the shelf.

“Tell me, Ruby,” he began, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. “Do the other guests have any towels to speak of? Because this”—he gestured vaguely to the closet—“is getting ridiculous.”

Ruby looked at the closet and then at Klaus. “Nope, this is just standard procedure here. We want our guests to be comfortable.”

“The towels are an excuse,” he said. Then he smirked. “You’re checking up on me.”

Ruby scoffed. “Checking up on you? What? No. That’s crazy.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Is it?”

She wrung her hands for a moment and then said, “Okay, fine. But remember what I told you? Storybrooke is such a boring town. Nothing ever happens here. You’re the first thing to happen in a long time.”

“I’m not a traveling circus, Ruby,” Klaus responded.

“No, you’re not,” she agreed. “You’re a stranger that I want to learn more about. Is that so bad?”

He narrowed his eyes at her. It _could_ be bad, if she found out about his nature. But that was unlikely. He had been hiding his nature from others for centuries. His cover wasn’t about to be blown now.

“I suppose not,” he replied.

“You said you’d be staying a while,” she continued. “It wouldn’t kill you to make a friend. I can tell you anything you want to know about Storybrooke.”

This grabbed Klaus’s attention. Ruby insisted that this town was boring. Maybe she was telling the truth and knew nothing about the werewolf he sought. But maybe she was lying.

“Dinner?” he asked. “Tonight?”

Ruby tilted her head. “Like a date?”

“Why not?”

She nodded once. “I’ll meet you down in the diner at seven.”

“Excellent,” Klaus said, pushing forward away from the wall. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I would like to get back to my work.” He nodded toward the desk.

Ruby’s attention turned there, as well. “You made all of these?” she asked, flipping through the papers.

“They’re not finished yet,” he said, taking a few steps forward.

She had placed everything back as it had been, with his current project on top. She pointed at the woman he had been sketching. “She shows up a lot in your art. Who is she?”

“No one,” he said quickly. _Everyone_ , he thought.

Ruby laughed. “Right.  Tonight’s not really a date, is it?”

Klaus didn’t respond.

“And _there’s_ my answer. That’s fine, really. Just dinner, then. I’ll see you at seven.”

She turned around and left the room, shutting the door behind her, and Klaus sat back at his desk to continue working on his latest portrait of Caroline.

###

Gold was growing impatient.

He had been hoping that Mr. Mikaelson would come to him. After all, whatever sort of magic the stranger had attempted to use on him, it hadn’t worked. Surely that would be enough to make him want to come back. But it had been five days and, so far, nothing.

Belle sat in the back room, reading through that infernal book. So far, it had gotten her nowhere. This only further convinced him that he needed to act on his own. Books, apparently, could not solve anything. Magic, on the other hand, never failed him.

“Belle?” he called, stepping into the room. She looked up from her book. “I’m going to Granny’s for some lunch. Would you like me to bring you back something?”

She paused to think for a moment. “Iced tea?” she asked, smiling. “I’m not very hungry, but I could use a drink.”

“Of course,” he said. “Be back soon.”

Back in the shop, he picked up his gloves and placed them on his hands before picking up the box he had set out on the counter. He exited the shop through the door so that Belle could hear the bell ring, but he didn’t want to risk being seen sneaking up to Mr. Mikaelson’s room, so he used his magic to transport himself the rest of the way.

He appeared outside the door to the bedroom. Carefully, he removed the medallion from the box, and then knocked on the door.

The response came immediately, along with the sound of footsteps. “Ruby, if you’ve brought more towels, I swear—”

The door opened, and Klaus gave Gold a confused stare. “You’re not—”

“Afraid not, dearie,” Gold interrupted. “Though I did bring you something.”

He held the medallion out to Klaus, who stared at it. “What is it?” he asked. He reached out and took it in his hand, and then immediately dropped it on the ground, hissing in pain. He grimaced as he stared at the palm of his hand. Gold smiled, satisfied, when he saw the mark there, burning red in the flesh.

“What the hell did you do to me?” he asked through gritted teeth.

Gold shrugged. “Merely sentenced you to damnation. Hope you’re not too attached to your soul.”

“My _what?”_ Klaus asked, still breathing heavily through the pain.

Instead of answering, Gold vanished in a cloud of purple smoke, along with the medallion. He reappeared in his shop, a glass of iced tea magically in hand.

###

The mark had hurt, but it disappeared within a minute. Klaus was stumped by it. Had the medallion been infused with vervain? He shook his head at the thought. Whatever had been in the medallion had been far more potent than vervain. And if it _had_ been vervain, then it was a pretty poor choice of weapon.

Still, that pawnbroker had attacked him, and he would pay. Klaus couldn’t afford to kill him himself; that would probably seem suspicious. So he elected to take care of things the old-fashioned way. He walked over to the desk and picked up the laminated paper with important local numbers. He found the number for the sheriff’s office and dialled.

A woman answered on the second ring. “Sheriff Swan,” she said.

“Yes, my name is Klaus Mikaelson. I’m visiting Storybrooke and staying at Granny’s Bed and Breakfast. The pawnbroker, Gold, just came to my room and assaulted me.”

The response he received from the sheriff was not what he expected; he could have sworn he heard her groan. “Seriously?”

“Now, why would I make that up?” he asked.

“Sorry,” she said. “That’s not what I meant. Let’s just say you’re not the first guy Gold has messed with, and I’m getting a little tired of dealing with him. I’ll go take care of this right now.”

Klaus didn’t bother to thank her, and simply hung up the phone. Seconds later, the lights in his room started to flicker.


	9. Technically Not Alive

Belle slammed the heavy book triumphantly on the counter in front of Gold. “I figured it out,” she said, smiling widely.

Gold was pleased and, admittedly, a bit surprised. Belle was brilliant, but he had already mostly given up hope that she would learn anything, hence why he had enacted his own plan to deal with the stranger.

“I’m impressed,” Gold said. “And what did you discover?”

Belle opened her mouth to answer, looking excited to share her knowledge, but before she could say anything the lights started to flicker.

“Rumple, what’s wrong with the lights?” she asked.

Gold had a pretty good idea. Instead, he answered, “Might be a storm interfering with the power.” In reality, it was likely the wraith wreaking havoc. “Seems like it could be a nasty one; you should stay inside for the night.”

“Right,” she said, nodding. “Anyway, back to the mysterious Klaus. I’ve read this book cover to cover, and I have come to the conclusion that Storybrooke’s visitor is a vampire.”

Gold blinked at her. “A what?”

“A vampire,” Belle repeated. “An immortal creature that never ages and feeds off the blood of humans.”

_Immortal?_ The bloodsucking was shocking enough, but Gold was even more taken aback by this word. The Enchanted Forest was a land of magic, but even there he had only ever come across one immortal being, and that was himself, the Dark One.

“That’s not possible,” Gold said, shaking his head. “This is a land without magic. How can there be immortal creatures here?”

“I don’t know,” Belle said. “But it makes sense. The magic he tried to use on you, it’s called _compulsion_. Basically, a vampire can make a human do anything, just by telling them to. Your own magic must have protected you. Apparently, an herb known as _vervain_ has protective properties against compulsion if worn in jewellery or drank in a tea.”

“I’ve heard of it,” Gold said. “In fact, I think I have some in the back room. You should go and prepare yourself a tea right now. If this stranger really is a vampire, you need to be protected.”

“Good idea,” Belle agreed before heading off into the back room.

Gold contemplated what this meant for the plan he had already put in action. Would the wraith be able to do its work on a creature such as a vampire? He couldn’t say for sure. A wraith was a danger even to the Dark One; that is why he needed to take precautions such as wearing gloves. But there were no vampires in the Enchanted Forest, so there was no precedent for this sort of thing.

And if the wraith could not attack Mr. Mikaelson? Then it wouldn’t leave. It would continue terrorizing Storybrooke until it could claim a soul.

Gold didn’t have much time to contemplate this potential future because soon the bell over his door chimed and Emma barged in with her parents in tow.

“What the hell, Gold?”

“Hello to you, too, dearie,” he answered calmly.

“I just got a call from the outsider,” she continued. “He says you assaulted him.”

“Ah, yes. That would be accurate.”

“What did you do?” she asked.

“I told you I would take care of him for you,” he responded.

“And I told you I wasn’t interested,” she shot back. “Now tell me: what did you do?”

“I sent a wraith after him.”

This grabbed her parents’ attention. “A wraith?” exclaimed David. “Are you out of your mind?”

“What were you thinking?” Mary Margaret added.

“Hold on,” their daughter interrupted. “What’s a wraith?”

“A creature that preys upon the souls of the living,” Mary Margaret explained. “It will not stop until it captures the soul of a marked individual.”

Gold could tell that Miss Swan had pieced together the rest of it. “And I take it you marked our tourist when you attacked him?”

“Indeed,” Gold responded. “And seeing as I have solved your problem, I believe thanks are in order.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so,” Emma said.

“Maybe you would think differently if you knew what I do,” Gold continued.

“Really?” David asked. “And what is that?”

“Belle has just discovered that our visitor is a vampire,” he announced.

Emma rolled her eyes. “Just when I thought things couldn’t get any weirder, now we have Count Dracula wandering around Storybrooke?”

“Not for much longer,” Gold pointed out.

“We have to stop it,” Mary Margaret said. “Vampire or not, we cannot let this happen.”

“Alright, let’s go,” David agreed, as he and his wife headed to the door.

Emma went to follow, but turned around at the last moment. “We’re not finished here,” she warned, raising a finger.

“Oh, I don’t doubt it,” Gold said.

Emma gave him one last angry look before turning around to follow her parents out of the shop. Around the shop, the lights continued to flicker. He locked the door to his shop and prepared to wait out the destruction.

“I thought you wanted my help,” he heard from behind him.

He turned around to see Belle standing in the doorway to the back room, holding her book. She looked hurt, sad, but also angry.

“I did, Belle,” he said. “But I was worried. I did this to protect the town. To protect you.”

Belle shook her head. “I thought you’d changed. I _told_ people you’d changed. But you haven’t. You’re still putting your faith in dark magic to solve your problems.” She brought a hand to her eyes and wiped away the few tears that had started to fall. Then she hardened herself. “For once, I wish you could have put your faith in me.”

Book still in hand, Belle marched across the shop toward the door, brushing past Gold as she went.

“Belle, wait—” Gold tried.

To his relief, Belle turned around, but she still looked upset. “Mary Margaret said the wraith preys on the souls of the living?”

Gold was confused by this question, and all he could do was answer it. “Yes, that’s correct.”

She took a deep breath and looked down at the book in her hand before looking back at Gold. “Then you should know,” she said, “that vampires are technically not alive.”

She hesitated a second longer before unlocking the door and exiting the shop. The bell rang and the door slammed behind her. Gold watched the place where she had been and then yelled in frustration, throwing his cane against the wall. If what Belle said was true, then his plan had failed. Mr. Mikaelson and his soul would remain in Storybrooke.

And so would the wraith.

###

“Hello?” Klaus asked, picking up the phone in his room. He was surprised it was still working, what with how finicky the power seemed to be.

“Hey, it’s Ruby,” came the voice on the other end. “Can we reschedule our dinner? I ended up having to babysit last minute.”

Klaus did not want to reschedule. He wanted to learn as much as he could about this town as soon as possible. “Why not bring the kid?” he asked. “I don’t mind.”

Ruby sighed. “It’s more than that. Have you looked outside lately, or noticed the lights flickering? There’s a crazy storm out there. Granny even closed the diner early.”

Klaus pulled a curtain aside and peered out the window, discovering that Ruby was right. The skies had gone dark and the wind had picked up, and the street lights were flickering madly. On the sidewalks, people scrambled to get indoors.

“Where are you?” Klaus asked. He was still looking out the window, and he sincerely hoped that Ruby was inside and away from the chaos.

“In the diner,” she answered. “Why?”

“I’ll be right down,” he said before hanging up.

###

Belle sat in a booth with Ruby and Henry, staring behind them out the window. “I’m sorry,” she said again, after Ruby got off the phone. “I really thought he had changed.”

“It’s not your fault,” Ruby said, reaching across the booth to take Belle’s hand. She gave it an empathetic squeeze.

Belle shook her head. “No, but it is,” she said. “I trusted him.”

“You _love_ him,” Ruby said. Belle had never said as much out loud, but Ruby knew it to be true.

Belle sighed. “Yes, well, I’m starting to think I gave my heart to the wrong person.”

“You didn’t,” Henry chimed in. “I’ve read your story over and over again. What you have is true love. You’re meant to be together.”

Belle couldn’t help but smile at the young boy’s naiveté. “I used to think so,” she said.

Ruby turned to look over her shoulder at the mess outside the window. “A wraith, though. That’s pretty drastic, even for the Dark One.”

“A what?”

Ruby looked up to see Klaus standing by their booth. She hadn’t heard or even seen him approach. She knew he would be coming down, but that had been quicker than expected.

“Klaus,” she said, surprised. “We were just talking about the book Henry’s reading.”

He took a seat across from Ruby, next to Belle, who moved over to make room for him. “A bit lighter than what you were reading the other day, I take it?” he asked her.

Belle forced a smile and nodded. “Quite.”

The howling of the wind became louder, and the lights began flickering more frequently. Suddenly, Ruby became aware of what a terrible thing it was for Klaus to be sitting here, in the diner, with them, when there was a soul-sucking wraith after him. Belle had gotten her up to speed and explained the whole vampire thing. But just because the wraith couldn’t actually steal his soul didn’t mean it wouldn’t try.

She tried to get a glimpse at his hands, to see if the mark was there, but Klaus had his hands under the table. Seeing no other option, she simply said, “Let me see your hands.”

He blinked at her. “What?”

“Your hands,” she repeated. She gestured with her fingers. “Let me see them.”

Hesitantly, Klaus brought his hands up to rest on the table, palms up. “What are you doing?” he asked.

Ruby was distracted, staring at his completely unmarked hands. She glanced up at Belle, and the look on her face showed that she was just as confused as Ruby. She turned her attention back to Klaus, dropping his hands. “Nothing.”

But she had seen enough to know he wasn’t marked. And if Ruby had her facts about wraiths straight, that meant that Klaus was safe, and so were they.

But, then . . . where would the wraith go?

“I want to find my moms,” Henry said. “I’m worried.”

Klaus raised an eyebrow. “Moms?”

“One adoptive, one biological,” Ruby explained hastily. “It’s . . . complicated.” She turned to Henry. “I told them I would keep you out of danger.”

“What danger?” Henry asked. “You saw yourself that Klaus doesn’t have the mark! The wraith won’t come after him.”

Ruby and Belle’s eyes widened and they said nothing. Klaus stared at the boy, taking in this new information, before turning his attention to Ruby. “What, may I ask, is a wraith?”

“I told you,” Ruby said carefully. “It’s just a creature in Henry’s book. He has an overactive imagination, that’s all.”

This struck Klaus as a strange thing to say in front of Henry. He was irritating, but he didn’t look stupid. Klaus saw the book in question on the table, the same book Henry had been reading the first time he’d met him. He moved to grab it, but Henry beat him to it, pulling the book onto his lap. Klaus could have reached it first if he’d gone as fast as he could, but he was still trying to keep his identity hidden.

Ruby slid out of the booth and stood up. She gestured for Henry to do the same. “Come on, Henry, let’s go find Emma and Regina.”

Henry scrambled out of the booth to stand beside Ruby. Klaus stood up quickly, too, which allowed Belle to follow suit. “I’m coming with you,” he said.

He wasn’t used to people disagreeing with him, so he was somewhat taken by surprise when Ruby said, “I really think it’s better if you wait here. The storm outside looks pretty ugly. Belle is staying too. Right, Belle?”

Belle cleared the confusion from her face and forced a smile. “Yes. I’d rather not go out in that if I can help it. You and Henry be careful, alright?”

Ruby nodded, trying to show her gratitude to Belle in her eyes. “We’ll be fine. See you both soon.”

Klaus watched Ruby leave with the boy, and Belle sat back down in the booth. He could chase after them. He knew they were hiding something. But that might have looked suspicious. He reminded himself that he hadn’t been in Storybrooke that long. He would learn everything eventually. He just had to be patient.

He looked down at Belle, sipping on an iced tea and flipping idly through her book. Klaus remembered what Ruby had said this morning, about how it wouldn’t kill him to make a friend in town. She had meant herself, he knew, but it would be to his advantage to gain the trust of as many Storybrooke citizens as possible.

To that end, he slid back into the booth, smiling at Belle. “So,” he said, causing her to look up, “learn anything new about vampires?”

And so began a conversation that lasted till the end of the storm, when the lights finally stopped their flickering.


End file.
